Trading up to get BJ Raji

[downinbellum]

MY CASE FOR MORENO at 12:

1- BJ Raji & Tyson Jackson are gone. Let's face it, if either are still available, DEN is forced to draft one. WHY? Our front-7 is awful. We need as much help as possible. ESPECIALLY on the DL. Right now, we have what?

2- With this group of ILB (DJ, Davis, Larsen, Woodyard) we are good-to-go. I mean, I would love Rey Maualuga, don't get me wrong.... but I think ILB is not a big need for us.

3- We have Boss (who played well when we used the 3-4 last year, before he got hurt) and we also have the newly-converted Elvis, Moss, Crowder, Reid.... all of whom are moving to OLB.


Given the aformentioned 3 points.... This is what were left with: Do we reach for a DL at 12, when none is really projected to go here (and is not a great value pick)? Do we reach on a project? Maybin, Brown, Ayers all have their issues. Maybin is raw, Brown has shortcomings & Ayers was a 1-hit wonder on a bad team. What does this leave us with? To me, the obvious...

You take the BEST RB in the draft. How often can you boast that reality? Either that, or trade down 5-12 picks, grab an early 2nd (before pick 40) and go that route.

You could grab a WR, but I think Jabar & Chad compliment Marsh, Royal & Stokley, and with PH's character.... no need to draft him at 12.

This leaves Moreno has the obvious choice. Add the fact that Orton needs help, and that DEN loves the kid.... He's a realistic option here.

It might just boil down to Malcom Jenkins or Moreno, but Jenkins might be gone as well.

I do believe that we will go 2 defensive picks and 1 offensive on Sat.

We might grab a G/C guy (if one of the top ones slip to us in the 2nd), or we might grab a RB. Bank on it.

I predict: DE, NT, RB as the first 3 picks.

I'm definitely warming to the idea of a first round RB after reports that have Shonn Greene and Lesean McCoy falling in value. I don't agree with the Jenkins prediction though; I think if we were in that situation you'd take either Cushing or Maualuga (Rey first)--why waste time on a DB from a big school whose position isn't defined yet in the NFL? you could argue the "tutelage under Dawkins" thing but why spend a first rounder to do that? You want impact players now in the first round.

I have to say I really have no idea what's going to happen. I don't have an accurate gauge of what "best case scenario" means with our first round picks-- is it Maualuga/Moreno or Raji/Ayers or Jackson/Moreno or Jackson/maybe Maualuga or Raji/Ayers or any combination of DE/DT/RB with the first three picks?

The more I think about Moreno, the more I want a franchise back, whether it be in a RBC or not. I don't really care. Hell, even AP has Chester Taylor.

But then I think of all our D woes and how many times I threw the remote out the window watching our D get torn up.

The draft cannot come any sooner. I'm chomping at the bit here...

[Chris Wade]

I was quite amazed at the RB's recently drafted round three or later. Steve Slaton, Frank Gore, Kevin Smith, Brandon Jacobs, Marion Barber, Derrick Ward and Michael Turner. We don't need to spend a first round pick on a player who's lifespan in the NFL is four years.

[DaHammer]

Well, I wouldn't trade up for either of them simply because we have too many holes to fill and we need all of our picks. So I look at this question as, "What if both Raji & Moreno are available when we pick at 12, which one do we grab? I can only hope we have that difficult decision to make. Really, I don't know, my gut says go with Raji simply because his position is much much harder to fill. On the other hand, Moreno would be a huge help, especially to Orton. He'd take the pressure off Orton with a solid run game behind our great Oline. Plus he'd give him a viable receiving option that the coaches could easily find ways to get mismatchs on. I can just see Orton passing him the ball in the flat and him then hurdling over a LB/DB on his way to the end zone. So for me it's an edge of your seat, gut wrenching decision. Being an SEC fan, I've watched Moreno a great deal and I have no doubts he'll be successful in the NFL. Plus he comes from none other than Georgia, whom I seem to recall produced another RB for Denver not so many years ago and we all know how that turned out. Not that they are the same, just saying.

Anyway, if I was the coach, I'd probably grit my teeth and grab Raji.

[203KillinSpree]

Get Raji at 12 if he's available and trade 18 for Ronnie Brown. if we get Moreno at 18 you don't know if he turns out to be as good as Ronnie Brown.

[Chris Wade]

With a RB's playing years averaging at four Ronnie Brown has used two of his and had major knee surgery. Number 18 in the first round ? I hope not.